Organizers of the Fourth of July festival in Galveston have decided to put on a special drone light show instead of fireworks according to Fox 26 News.
“We’re doing something unique, something different,” said Chief Tourism Officer for Galveston Island, Michael Woody. “What we’re hoping is, we find a way to do something spectacular. It could be a new normal for coastal cities to deal with those environmental challenges.”
In a recent vote, park board members decided on a illuminated drone spectacle over fireworks, that which would see up to a thousand synchronized drone syncopated with music.
The decision, ultimately, was influence in response to area environmental concerns.
“We were finding a lot of debris on the shorelines,” said Woody. “Even though [the fireworks are] biodegradable, there are still elements that fall in the water.”
With the Galveston firework spectacle being one of the most sensational in the Houston area, the transition to electronic drones spurred mix reactions from the public. This past Monday, Galveston locals met to convey their opinions about the change.
“Galveston, we need our fireworks,” said Alexis Hardeman. “Don’t let drones take over fireworks. We need our fireworks.”
Local, Felicia Rios said: “For me, [drones] would actually be a good thing. I have dogs. They’re very scared of the noise of the fireworks.”
The transition would also see an increased cost of about $60,000, in which the fireworks spectacle cost around $30,000 with the drone show expected to cost up to $90,000.
“Prices are going up on everything, and the city is going to spend $90,000 on drones, that doesn’t seem right at all,” Rios said.
“Leave those drones where they’re at,” said Hardeman. “They don’t need 90K. Pay that 25 and let’s celebrate on the beach like we always do. Like we’ve been doing.”
“We’re doing something unique, something different,” said Michael Woody, Chief Tourism Officer for Galveston Island. “What we’re hoping is, we find a way to do something spectacular. It could be a new normal for coastal cities to deal with those environmental challenges.”
“We view this as an opportunity to draw more people down here,” said Woody. “We think when we do a big promotion on a drone show like this, and show examples of what this will look like, we’ll be able to draw more people to the island.”